• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.782-791
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• 1991

In Pusan Paik Hospital, Inje University, we experienced 174 cases of pulmonary resections for pulmonary tuberculosis from Jun. 1979 to Feb. 1990. In all of them automatic stapling devices were used for division of lung parenchyme and /or bronchial closure. The results were as follows; l. In 174 cases[male 100, female 74], third and fourth decades were 116 cases [66.7%]. 2. Indications for lung resection in the radiographic findings were destroyed lung 47 cases[27.0%], destroyed lobe 42 cases[24.1%], cavitary lesions 42 cases[24.1%], tuberculoma 22 cases[12.7%], and bronchial lesions 21 cases[12.1%]. 3. The mean of staplers used in the operations was 1.6, and possible stapler-associated complications were only 2 cases of bronchopleural fistula after pneumonectomy. 4. Twenty-seven of 36 patients with bilateral lesions and 52 of unilateral ones on chest X-ray films were AFB positive on preoperative sputum smears. Twenty-three[85.2%] of bilateral lesions and 51[98.1%] of unilateral ones were AFB negative at 6 months after operations. 5. Main complications of resections were operative death 1[0.6%], empyema 4[2.3%], respiratory insufficiency 3[1.7%], pleural dead space 5[2.9%], and bronchial spreading of tuberculosis 2[1.1%]. Bronchopleural fistula were only 2 cases after pneumonectomy and none after lobectomy or segmentectomy. 6. One hundred and forty two patients[92.8%] of 153 with available follow-up data were in the state of good quality of life.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.72 no.1
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• pp.88-92
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• 2012

A 37 year old female presented with epigastric pain and weight loss over a period of 3 months. Her abdominal CT finding showed a 4.5 cm size hepatic mass and 4.3 cm size pancreatic head mass with multiple macronodules in the liver. At the same time, her chest CT revealed a 5 cm size necrotic mass in the left lower lobe of the lung with multiple bilateral pulmonary nodules. We diagnosed these lesions as tuberculosis through multiple biopsies. She was treated with anti-tuberculous medication. After taking the medications, her symptoms were improved. Twelve months later, imaging studies indicated an improvement in the patient's health. Here we report a case report of multi-organ macronodular tuberculosis in lung, liver and pancreas.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.480-493
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• 1992

Between October 1964 and August 1979, 2,537 patients underwent operation for pulmonary disease including tuberculosis at the National Kongju Hospital. Ages at operation ranged from 6.6 to 67.6 years with a mean age of 30.8 years and the male to female ratio was 3.07: l. Indications for operation were, respectively, as follows; destroyed lobe or segment with /without cavity[68.6%], ipsilateral total destroyed lung[14.8%], empyema with/wit-hout fistula[6.0%], atelectasis with bronchostenosis[2.6%], bronchiectasis[2.4%], tuberculoma[1.6%], lung abscess[1.7%], etc. There were 1,416 thoracoplasties[most common], 915 lobectomies, 591 pneumonectomies, etc. 1,073 patients with hemoptysis were found, streaking[23.8%], mild[42.3%], moderate[26.6%], severe[3.4%] and massive[3.9%] as the severity. Tuberculosis was the most common cause of severe and massive hem-optysis. Postoperative complications were developed 16.% of the operated cases, bleeding was the most frequent complication found in these cases. The mortality of operation was 8%, the most common cause of death was bleeding also.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.2
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• pp.153-157
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• 2008

Although a paradoxical response of tuberculosis to antituberculous therapy is not a rare phenomenon, it can be a clinical challenge to differentiate a paradoxical response from treatment failure. A 25-year-old woman was admitted for miliary lung nodules and multiple intracranial nodules. Antituberculous treatment was started with a preliminary diagnosis of tuberculosis based on the history and clinical findings. After one month, the military lung nodules improved while the intracranial nodules increased in size and number. Based on a stereotactic biopsy, it was confirmed that the intracranial lesions were tuberculomas. Although the therapeutic regimen was not changed, the symptoms eventually were ameliorated and the intracranial nodules improved two months later.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.97-103
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• 1985

During the period of seven years from Jan. 1976 to Jan. 1983, one hundred cases of pulmonary tuberculous residual lesions were resected at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Paik Hospital in Seoul, Korea. During the period of this study, 1764 patients were admitted with the diagnosis of pulmonary and/or pleural tuberculosis in the medical and surgical department as a primary or associated conditions. Among these 1764 patients, one hundred selective cases were operated. The results were as follows; l. Extents of the disease by the predominant clinical pictures were: totally destroyed lung; 18, destroyed lobe; 6, cavitary lesion with or without positive sputum; 35, bronchiectasis; 7, bronchostenosis with atelectasis; 2, empyema with or without BPF; 20, pleural thickening; 4, tuberculoma; 3, bullous cyst with tuberculosis; 5 cases, or per cent [Table 1]. 2. Male and female ratio was 1.2:1 or 55 and 45 per cent. Age distribution ranged 15 and 55 with average of 33 years [Table 2]. 3. Type of procedures were: pleuropneumonectomy; 15, pneumonectomy; 25, lobectomy; 37, bilobectomy; 6, lobectomy plus segmentectomy; 3, pleurectomy; 14 cases, or percent, Site of resections were: right; 58 and left; 42 cases, or per cent [Table 3]. 4. Incidence of complications were 10 per cent and the mortality was 4 per cent. The causes of morbidity were analyzed. The main causes of death were pulmonary insufficiency; 2, cardiac arrhythmia; 1, and hepatic insufficiency; 1 case or per cent [Table 4]. 5. Pathologic examinations of the resected pulmonary and pleuropulmonary lesions were observed by gross specimen, correlating with the pre-operative indications of the disease [Fig. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].>br> 6. Anti-tuberculous chemotherapy was done for 6 to 18 months, post-operatively, in 80 patients. Of these 49 cases were need medication for 12 months [Table 5]. Except the four operative mortality and a case of post-operative recurrent buberculosis under medication, all the other 95 cases are well in activity and free from the disease at the moment.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.141-149
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• 1990

The authors conducted a clinical observation of 55 cases of solitary pulmonary nodules at Yeungnam University Hospital from June 1986 to October 1990, and the following results were obtained : 1. The age distribution was ranged from 18 to 77 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.8:1. 2. Among 55 cases of nodules, 28 cases were benign and 27 cases were malignant nodules, and of malignant nodules, the primary lung cancer was 23 cases and of benign nodules, 18 cases were tuberculoma. 3. 23 cases (41.8%) was asymptomatic and the other 32 cases were symptomatic; chest pain 12 cases, hemoptysis; 8 cases, cough; 8 cases and dyspnea; 4 cases. 4. The non-smoker-to-smoker ratio was 1:1.04, but among 23 smoker over 20 pack years, 14 cases were malignant nodules. 5. According to nodular size, there is no striking differences between benign and malignant nodules except 3-4cm sized nodules. 6. The lobar distribution of nodules, 35 cases were in the right lung (upper lobe; 14 cases, middle lobe; 11 cases, and lower lobe; 10 cases) and 20 cases were in the left lung(upper lobe; 9 cases, lower lobe; 11 cases), and the malignant nodules were most commonly observed in the right upper lung.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.882-893
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• 1996

Background : Over one-third of solitary pulmonary nodules are malignant, but most malignant SPNs are in the early stages at diagnosis and can be cured by surgical removal. Therefore, early diagnosis of malignant SPN is essential for the lifesaving of the patient. The incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis in Korea is somewhat higher than those of other countries and a large number of SPNs are found to be tuberculoma. Most primary physicians tend to regard newly detected solitary pulmonary nodule as tuberculoma with only noninvasive imaging such as CT and they prefer clinical observation if the findings suggest benignancy without further invasive procedures. Many kinds of noninvasive procedures for confirmatory diagnosis have been introduced to differentiate malignant SPNs from benign ones, but none of them has been satisfactory. FOG-PET is a unique tool for imaging and quantifying the status of glucose metabolism. On the basis that glucose metabolism is increased in the malignant transfomled cells compared with normal cells, FDG-PET is considered to be the satisfactory noninvasive procedure which can differentiate malignant SPNs from benign SPNs. So we performed FOG-PET in patients with solitary pulmonary nodule and evaluated the diagnostic accuracy in the diagnosis of malignant SPNs. Method : 34 patients with a solitary pulmonary nodule less than 6 cm of irs diameter who visited Samsung Medical Center from Semptember, 1994 to Semptember, 1995 were evaluated prospectively. Simple chest roentgenography, chest computer tomography, FOG-PET scan were performed for all patients. The results of FOG-PET were evaluated comparing with the results of final diagnosis confirmed by sputum study, PCNA, fiberoptic bronchoscopy, or thoracotomy. Results : (I) There was no significant difference in nodule size between malignant (3.1 1.5cm) and benign nodule(2.81.0cm)(p>0.05). (2) Peal SUV(standardized uptake value) of malignant nodules (6.93.7) was significantly higher than peak SUV of benign nodules(2.71.7) and time-activity curves showed continuous increase in malignant nodules. (3) Three false negative cases were found among eighteen malignant nodule by the FDG-PET imaging study and all three cases were nonmucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma less than 2 em diameter. (4) FOG-PET imaging resulted in 83% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value and 84% negative predictive value. Conclusion: FOG-PET imaging is a new noninvasive diagnostic method of solitary pulmonary nodule thai has a high accuracy of differential diagnosis between malignant and benign nodule. FDG-PET imaging could be used for the differential diagnosis of SPN which is not properly diagnosed with conventional methods before thoracotomy. Considering the high accuracy of FDG-PET imaging, this procedure may play an important role in making the dicision to perform thoracotomy in diffcult cases.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.6
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• pp.545-550
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• 2009

Background: Endobronchial ultrasonogram (EBUS) has increased the diagnostic yield of a bronchoscopic biopsy of peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPL). This study evaluated the diagnostic yield of EBUS-guided transbronchial biopsy (TBB) and the visibility of EBUS PPL. Methods: Between August 2007 and November 2008, 50 patients (32 men and 18 women, median age, 61.1${\pm}$10 yrs; range, 16 to 80 yrs) whose PPL lesions could not be detected with flexible bronchoscopy were enrolled in this study. Among the 50 patients, 40 cases were malignant lesions (adenocarcinoma 25, squamous cell carcinoma 10, small cell carcinoma 5) and 10 cases were benign lesions (tuberculoma 7, fungal ball 1, other inflammation 2). Results: The mean diameter of the target lesion was 35.4${\pm}$4.3 mm. Of the 50 patients examined, the overall diagnostic yield by EBUS-TBLB was 46.0% (23/50). The visualization yield of EBUS was 66.0% (33/50). A definitive diagnosis of PPL localized by EBUS was established using EBUS-TBLB in 69.6% (23/33) of cases. The diagnostic yields from washing cytology and brushing cytology from a bronchus identified by EBUS were 27.0% and 45.4% respectively. The diagnostic yields reached 78.7% when the three tests (washing cytology, brushing cytology and EBUS-TBLB) were combined. The visualization yield of EBUS in lesions <20 mm was significantly lower than that in lesions ${\geq}$20 mm (p=0.04). The presence of a bronchus leading to a lesion (open bronchus sign) on the chest CT scan was associated with a high visualization yield on EBUS (p=0.001). There were no significant complications associated with EBUS-TBLB. Conclusion: EBUS-TBLB is a safe and effective method for diagnosing PPL. The lesion size and open bronchus signs are significant factors for predicting the visualization of EBUS.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1138-1142
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• 1996

Video-assisted thoracic surgery is a new modality that allows visualization of and access to the intrathoracic organs without making a thoracotomy Incision. 52 patients underwent thoracic procedures using this technique. There were pneumothorax in 40 patients, diffuse interstital lung disease in 6 patients, hyperhidrosis in 3 patients, pulmonary tuberculoma in 1 patient, aspergilloma in 1 patient and localized fibrous tumor of pleura in 1 patient. We had performed a variety of procedures(36 wedge resections with mechanical pleurodesis, 8 wedge resections only, 4 mechanical pleurodeses, 3 bilateral sympathectomys and 1 segmentectomy). The period of chest tube indwelling and postoperative hospitalization were 2.00 $\pm$ 1.32 days(range : 0~6 days) and 3.55 $\pm$ 1.45 days(range : 1~8 days). Four postoperative complications occurred(2 pleural effusion, 1 recurrent pneumothorax and 1 high fever). Conversion to open thoracotomy was done in 1 p tient due to massive air leakage. Patients undergoing video-assisted thoracic surgery seem to have reduced postoperative pain, shorter hospitalization, and quicker recovery times.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.318-323
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• 2008

It is difficult to distinguish a lung cancer from a pulmonary tuberculoma or other benign nodule. It is even more difficult to identify the type of lesion if the mass shows no change in size or demonstrates slow growth. Only a pathological confirmation can possibly reveal the nature of the lesion. A 61-year-old-woman was referred for a solitary pulmonary nodule. The nodule showed no change in size for the first two years and continued to grow slowly. Pathological and immunological analyses were conducted for confirmation of the nodule. The nodule was identified as a well-differentiated primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma. An LULobectomy was performed, and the post surgical stage of the nodule was IIIA (T2N2M0). Even though there are few risk factors, there is still the possibility of a malignancy in cases of non-growing or slow growing solitary pulmonary nodules. Therefore, pathological confirmation is encouraged to obtain a firm diagnosis.